Sprache
by VickyVicarious
Summary: A snapshot of Miles' life upon first arriving in the von Karma estate. - Or, the birth of 'foolish little brother'.
**Prompt:** Could we have a little blurb about Miles' life as a very young child soon after being taken in by von Karma?

 **Notes:** _Sprache_ is German for language or speech.

* * *

They all speak German.

Not a single person makes the effort to speak to him in English, or even to repeat words or slow down sentences for his benefit. There wasn't any warning - Manfred von Karma simply switched languages as soon as they landed in his home country, as though his linguistic abilities were dependent on national borders.

Of course, Miles still hears him speaking English sometimes. Usually he can't hear distinct words, since Manfred only uses English for business calls with contacts overseas, and those are all conducted in his office behind a locked door. But the pattern of the sounds at least is different, comfortingly familiar, and Miles gravitates towards sitting in the hallway there when he can, listening for English.

He has lots of free time. It's summer. von Karma's eldest daughter spends most of her time out of the house. von Karma himself is often busy in the courtroom; though he will work from home frequently too, it's always behind that locked door. There is no sign of a Mrs. von Karma. Not even any pictures on the walls. There are a few household employees, but they all look very busy and very stern, and none of them speak English either.

Miles would probably learn faster if he had someone to talk to, but he doesn't. Manfred gave him a long speech when they arrived, with what sounded like rules, but he didn't understand any of it, and no one really has tried to make him do anything since then. He doesn't leave the immediate neighborhood, in case it was forbidden then and he just didn't understand, or maybe he could get lost and not find his way back, so he usually just stays inside the house. Walks around, not touching anything (in case he's been forbidden but didn't understand). Listens for English. Listens for German words he recognizes. Looks at the large, intimidating books in the library and tries to figure out what the sentences are saying, if the words that look kind of like English words actually mean the same thing in German. Listens to the radio - a lot of the songs are in English on certain stations, but nothing spoken outside of the odd phrase. There's no TV in the house.

Eats dinner quietly, listening as hard as he can to the rapid stream of foreign dialogue passing over his head as Manfred and his eldest daughter discuss what sound like important things. They talk quickly. Brushes his teeth, goes to bed. Dreams horrible things. Wakes up sobbing, trying not to scream, hoping no one heard. Sits at breakfast in silence. Watches everyone leave.

And repeat.

There is only one person who seems to make any effort to speak with Miles, even when he can't communicate effectively back - Manfred ignores anything he says in English, as well as anything he says in German that is phrased or pronounced incorrectly, which leaves him very little to say. The youngest daughter, on the other hand, doesn't seem to mind. Rather, she delights in every mistake Miles makes - her chubby little cheeks round as she giggles over his errors. She huffs dramatically and puts her hands on her hips and lectures him rapidly, at least until she realizes he doesn't understand what she's saying and she sighs exaggeratedly, flings her hands up, and repeats her words with patronizing slowness.

Franziska is two years old.

She is enrolled in a daycare, and only returns home at about 4pm each evening. With dinner at 6:30, and her bedtime at 8:00, that leaves scant time for German 'lessons' - but, somehow, it is the best Miles can expect, and furthermore, it seems she is invested after a few days as well. She doesn't seem to ever play childish games; she practices writing, and reading, and she has a few dolls in her bed but they don't ever see use when he is in her room. Sometimes when he comes in they are in different positions, though.

" _I can't believe you - you could read now_ ," Miles tells her one afternoon in his halting German. He doesn't know a lot about little kids but he's pretty sure that's not ordinary. Franziska talks too fast, her eyes are too sharp - it's only when she's laughing at his mistakes that she ever seems her age. " _I must... seem like such a... stu..._ no, um... _a_ \- a fool."

"Fool?" Franziska says (even her English sounds better than his German). Tastes the new word on her tongue. Then, she grins - much too sharp for a two year old, even one who is, according to her, almost three. "Like ' _idiot_ '? I agree. You are."

"Hey," Miles says.

" _Be quiet_ ," Franziska lectures. Unexpectedly, she reaches out to pat him on the cheek. " _You are a_ fool. _You are a stupid little brother._ "

Miles blinks. It takes a moment to understand her words, and then after that - it's going to take much, much longer, because that is a word for _family_ and he's not- he's just - Manfred is taking care of him but he isn't, he doesn't have any left, he's - his thoughts jumble up against each other in his head. He doesn't know what to think. He's not her brother. He's not... not _anything_ , he's just grateful to be here, because Manfred said no one else was going to take him and, and he said that he could teach Miles to be like him and punish the bad guys, and maybe one day if he were good enough he could -

But Franziska is two years old, and patting his cheek. She is smiling with her chubby cheeks and after she gets home from daycare everyone ignores her but Miles, he doesn't ever see her play, and she's the only person in weeks now to talk to him at all, and besides he _wants_ \- he didn't realize until he heard her say that word, but he does. He wants it. Just...

"Wait, I'm older. Isn't that _big brother_?" Miles asks.

" _No_ , fool!" Franziska shouts. She kicks him. " _You're too stupid! ...That's why I have to teach you better._ "

She tosses her head triumphantly. Exulting as always in her victory over him. It's kind of adorable.

"Okay," Miles says. " _Thank you, teacher._ "

Franziska flushes bright red and kicks him again.

She calls him a fool three more times that day, 'little brother' twice, and he learns enough to get two sentences of acknowledgement from Manfred at the dinner table that night.

After he tucks her into bed, Miles goes to his own and tries to smile his way to sleep. Still wakes up in the middle of the night screaming.


End file.
